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Iran’s president criticizes US, Western sanctions during Minsk visit
Masoud Pezeshkian in Minsk
August 20, Pozirk. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has criticized Western sanctions and Washington’s “unilateral and destructive” approaches during his meeting with Alaksandar Łukašenka in Minsk, the latter’s press office reports.
Belarus and Iran are taking consistent steps to develop cooperation, working diligently to turn every new challenge into a new opportunity, the Belarusian ruler said, expressing hopes to expand ties with Tehran in areas ranging from food security to military-technical cooperation.
“You have been and remain our friends,” his press office quoted him as saying. “We are committed to fulfilling all our obligations. . . You should feel at home here.”
Pezeshkian arrived in Minsk on an official visit yesterday amid Łukašenka’s increased contacts with Washington and tensions between the United States and Iran.
In Iran, the president holds the second-highest position of power after the supreme leader. The president is the head of the executive branch and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the government.
Pezeshkian, a former cardiac surgeon, was elected president last July after Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash. He had served as minister of health and medical education (2001–2005) and first deputy parliamentary speaker (2016–2020).
